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1 

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5 

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Wi 


I 


HANNAH   SWANTON, 


THE    CASCO    CAPTIVE: 


OR  THE 


CATHOLIC  RELIGION  IN  CANADA, 


AND    ITS 


INFLUENCE  ON  THE  INDIANS  IN  MAINE. 


Written  foi  tho  Massachusetts  Sabbatli  School  Society,  and  revised 
by  the  Commitloe  of  rublication. 


Secontr   ISmion. 


BOSTON: 


,;    MASSACHUSETTS  SABBATH  SCHOOL  SOCIETY, 
Depository  No.  13  Cornhill. 

18  39. 


I 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1837, 
Bt  CHRISTOPHER  C.  DEAN, 
In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


»' 

k 
f 


CONTENTS. 


It 


PAGE. 

Mrs.  Swanton's  removal  from  Massachusetts  to  Casco  Bay, 

in  Maine, 5 

Conference  of  Bommaseen,  an  Indian  Chief,  with  a  Minister 

of  Boston, 10 

How  Roman  Catholics  corrupt  the  Gospel, 12 

Scenery  in  Casco,  now  Portland, 16 

Evil  influence  of  Roman  Catholics  on  the  Indians  of  Mpine,  20 

Mrs.  Swanton  taken  captive  by  the  Indians, 34 

Mrs.  Swanton  arrives  at  Quebec, 32 

Roman  Catholic  arguments, 36 

Fellowship  with  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  declined 38 

Sorrow  for  sin, 40 

Comfort  in  religion, 42 

Deliverance  from  captivity, 46 

Maine  flourishes  by  religion  and  peace, 46 

Afpendix.    Roman  Catliolio  principles  in  Canada, 49 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


■ 


What  is  hero  presented  to  the  reader,  is  taken 
chiefly  from  the  Rev.  Cotton  Mather's  "Magnalia, 
or  Ecclesiastical  History  of  New  England."  The 
object  has  been  to  keep  to  historical  truth.  The 
dates  and  places  mentioned,  testify  that  you  have 
here  fact,  and  not  fiction. 


'".  ■  ^ 


to 
far 


i] 


he 


HANNAH    SWANTON. 


RESIDENCE    IN   CASCO    BAY. 


M 


Hannah  Swanton  removed,  with  her 
husband  and  children,  from  Beverly,  in 
Massachusetts,  to  Casco  Bay,  in  Maine, 
when  there  were  only  a  few  families  settled 
along  the  shores  and  near  the  mouths  of 
the  rivers,  and  several  miles  in  the  interior. 
She  left  religious  privileges,  and  exposed 
herself  and  family  to  many  privations,  and 
to  the  attacks  of  savage  Indians,  that  the 
family  might  obtain  earthly  gain.  She 
afterwards  thought  it  folly  and  sin  to  for- 
sake the  worship  of  God  for  mere  worldly 
advantage.  The  result,  in  her  case,  re- 
markably resembled  that  of  Lot,  who  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  and  looked,  on  the  well- 
watered  and  fertile  plains  of  Sodom,  when 
he  chose  the  place  of  his  abode,  and  did 
2 


e 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


) 


not  sufficiently  regard  the  spiritual  dangers 
to  which  he  might  expose  himself.  The 
soil  of  Sodom  was  indeed  rich,  but  its 
people  were  wicked ;  and  if  the  luxuriance 
of  the  country  produced  him  abundance, 
yet  ♦he  guilt  of  its  inhabitants  brought 
utter  ruin  on  them  and  him.  We  may 
look  at  the  local  situation  of  Mrs.  Swan- 
ton's  residence,  that  we  may  understand 
how  she  met  with  the  calamities  following 
a  fatal  Indian  assault. 

The  place  of  her  habitation  was  that 
which  is  now  occupied  by  the  busy  popu- 
lation of  Portland.  This  is  a  peninsula 
extending  into  Casco  Bay,  but  protected 
from  the  violence  of  the  ocean  by  Cape 
Elizabeth,  and  by  numerous  islands,  which 
form  a  wall,  unbroken,  in  appearance, 
against  the  winds  and  the  waves  of  the 
great  deep.  Here,  therefore,  was  a  favor- 
able place  for  light  Indian  canoes  to  float 
securely  on  the  water,  or  for  their  temporary 
wigwams  to  be  erected  on  the  land.  Only 
about  six  thousand  Indians  obtained  a 
miserable,  scanty  subsistence  in  all  the 
great  forests,  and  along  all  the  great  rivers 


*' 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


of  Maine.  The  gospel  had  not  come 
among  them  to  teach  them  to  labor,  and  to 
lay  aside  the  tomahawk  and  scalping-knife, 
the  arrow  and  the  gun,  and  love  their 
neighbor  as  themselves,  and  worship  God, 
and  hear  his  holy  word  on  the  sacred 
Sabbath.  They  were  therefore  immoral 
and  wretched,  as  the  heathen  generally 
are.  And  this  is  to  be  deplored,  that  they 
were  the  worse  for  the  influence  of  pro- 
fessed Christiani  over  them.  The  French 
and  English,  though  neighbors  to  each 
other,  and  bearing  the  Christian  name, 
were  often  engaged  in  the  unnatural,  un- 
christian work,  of  doing  each  other  all  the 
harm  they  could,  even  to  the  destruction 
of  life.  Prom  the  French,  therefore,  in 
Canada,  the  Indians  came  with  powder 
and  guns,  and  with  French  priests  and 
military  officers,  to  lead  them  on  to  the 
dreadful  work  of  murdering  and  plunder- 
ing and  enslaving  the  English  families 
along  the  shores  of  Maine.  They  came 
down  the  rivers,  known  as  the  Androscoggin 
and  the  Kennebec ;  both  to  subsist  on  the 
fish  they  caught  in  their  waters,  and  to 


8 


HANNAH     SWANTON, 


(/ 


it 


m 


i 


l\ 


transport  themselves  in  their  birch  canoes. 
As  these  rivers  meet  together  within  a  few 
miles  of  the  north-eastern  arm  of  Casco 
Bay,  here  was  a  favorable  place  for  their 
passage,  and  then,  after  carrying  terror  and 
distress  and  havoc  to  the  settlements  along 
in  Maine,  in  Casco,  Saco,  Wells  and 
Berwick,  they  retired  by  Salmon  Falls 
river,  and  perhaps  by  Connecticut  river,  or 
Lake  Champlain,  back  to  Canada.  Where, 
all  this  time,  were  the  ministers  of  Jesus  ? 
Where  was  the  peaceful  and  benevolent 
spirit  of  his  religion  7  One  might  think,  as 
he  looked  at  these  melancholy  scenes,  that 
his  followers  were  sent  out,  not  to  save 
men's  lives,  but  to  destroy  them.  Had  all 
the  professed  Christians,  who  had  access  to 
the  Indians,  given  them  the  Bible,  instead 
of  the  musket,  and  the  spelling-book  in- 
stead of  the  murderous  knife,  other  scenes 
would  have  been  witnessed;  "and  this 
interesting  race  of  men  might  now  have 
been  happy  cultivators  of  the  soil,  and 
have  presented  a  living,  enlightened, 
Christian  population,  where  now  they  are 
remembered  only  as  an  extirpated  people. 


THE     C ASCO     CAPTIVE 


0 


noes. 
L  few 
Jasco 
their 
r  and 
along 
and 
Falls 
er,  or 
^here, 


esus 


7. 


volent 
nk,  as 
that 
save 
ad  all 
iess  to 
istead 
3k  in- 
scenes 
this 
have 
1,  and 
itened, 
Ley  are 
people. 


Never  more  may  the  intercourse  of  Chris- 
tians prove  so  fatal  to  any  nation !  May 
we  not  involve  them  in  our  quarrels  to 
their  destruction;  but  go  together  in  the 
spirit  of  brotherly  love,  to  present  them  the 
gospel — and  to  preserve,  instruct,  reform, 
evangelize  and  bless  them. 

The  early  settlers  of  Maine  were  the 
victims,  not  only  of  national  ambition,  but 
of  religious  bigotry.  Men  are  necessarily 
religious  in  some  way,  for  their  reason 
teaches  them  that  there  must  be  some 
being  or  beings  superior  to  themselves ; 
and  their  conscience  convinces  them  of  sin, 
and  they  have  natural  fears  of  evil.  If, 
therefore,  they  have  no  revelation  of  the 
true  God,  and  of  the  right  way  of  escaping 
his  displeasure  by  the  only  sufficient  sacri- 
fice for  sin,  the  offering  of  the  divine 
Redeemer,  they  will  fear  false  gods,  and 
will  depend  on  burdensome  ceremonies, 
empty  forms,  austerities,  or  cruel  rites. 
If  men  do  not  adopt  the  true  religion,  they 
will  adopt  a  corrupt  or  false  religion ;  and 
such  a  religion  will  curse  rather  than  bless 

a  people,  and  will  make  them  intolo  ;ant, 

2# 


ii 


10 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


cruel    and  vicious,    instead  of   reforming 
them  and  making  them  holy. 

Such  was  the  rehgion  of  the  French  of 
Canada ; — it  was  the  iDigotry  of  the  Church 
of  Rome.  This  people  have  been  repre- 
sented as  naturally  kind  and  hospitable. 
Mrs.  Swanton  found  them  such ;  and  others 
have  borne  the  same  testimony  of  them ; 
but  their  religion  did  not  encourage  this 
disposition ;  and  this  fact  may  appear  in 
the  following  narrative.  The  true  charac- 
ter of  Catholic  bigotry,  and  the  danger 
experienced  by  the  first  settlers  of  Maine 
from  this  spirit,  may  be  seen  by  what  will 
now  be  related  of  a  conference  between  a 
minister  of  Boston  and  a  company  of 
captive  Indian  warriors,  in  1696. 


BOMMASEEN,    AN    INDIAN    CHIEF. 


BoMMASEEN  was  ouc  of  the  Indian  chiefs 

i«    or    princes,    and    was    taken,    with   some 

^/^    fellow- warriors,  in  one  of  the  settlements 

I  N^'^   .^K  of  Maine.     Being  now,  with   some  other 

h   ,^r>  V^"^^^^^^)  ^  prisoner  in  Boston,  he  desired  a 

•  Y^      conference  with  a  minister  of   the  city, 


v^ 


C^ 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


11 


of 


which  was  granted  him.  Bommaseen, 
with  the  assent  of  the  other  Indians,  then 
told  the  minister  that  he  wished  for  his 
instruction  in  the  Christian  reUgion ;  as  he 
feared  that  the  French,  in  what  they  had 
taught  about  this  rehgion,  had  deceived 
them.  The  minister  inquired  of  him  what 
instructions  of  the  French  appeared  most 
suspicious.  He  repUed,  that  the  French 
taughv  them,  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
was  of  the  French  nation ;  that  his  mother, 
the  Virgin  Mary,  was  a  French  lady ;  that 
they  were  the  English  who  had  murdered 
him;  and  that  v/hereas  he  rose  from  the 
dead,  and  ascended  into  heaven,  all  who 
would  recommend  themselves  to  his  favor, 
must  avenge  him  on  the  English  as  far 
as  they  couk .  He  asked  the  minister 
whether  these  (hiiH'^s  were  so,  and  prayed 
for  instruction  in  the  true  Christian  re- 
ligion. The  minister,  considering  that  it 
was  the  disposition  and  manner  of  the 
Indians,  to  use  much  similitude  in  their 
discourses,  looked  about  for  some  agreeable 
object,  by  which  he  might,  with  apt  com- 
parison, convey  the  ideas  of  truth  into.* the 


i 


/  i\[ 


m 


HANNAH     S WANTON 


minds  of  the  savages ;  and  he  thought  none 
would  be  more  agreeable  to  them  than  a 
tankard  of  drink,  which  happened  then  to 
be  standing  on  the  table.  He  proceeded, 
therefore,  in  the  following  manner  with 
them : 


1 


HOW    ROMAN    CATHOLICS    CORRUPT    THE 

GOSPEL. 

He  told  them,  as  with  proper  actions  he 
presented  the  signs  to  them,  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  had  given  us  a  good  religion, 
which  might  be  compared  to  the  good 
drink  in  the  cup  upon  the  table. 

That  if  we  take  this  good  religion  (even 
that  good  drink)  into  our  hearts,  it  will  do 
us  good,  and  preserve  us  from  death. 
That  God's  Book,  the  Bible,  is  the  cup 
wherein  that  good  drink  of  religion  is 
offered  us. 

That  the  French,  having  the  cup  of  good 
drink  in  their  hands,  had  put  poison  into 
it,  and  had  then  made  the  Indians  drink 
that  poisoned  liquor ;  by  which  they  run 
rnad,  and  began  to  kill  the  English,  though 


THE     C  v 


O     CAPTIVE. 


13 


they  could  not  but  know  that  it  must 
unavoidably  end  in  their  own  destruction 
at  last. 

That  it  was  plain  the  English  had  put 
no  poison  into  the  good  drink ;  for  they  set 
the  cup  wide  open,  and  invited  all  men  to 
come  and  see  before  they  tasted,  even  the 
very  Indians  themselves ;  for  they  had 
translated  the  Bible  into  Indian.  That 
they  might  infer  from  this  that  the  French 
had  put  poison  into  the  good  drink;  as 
they  had  kept  the  cup  fast  shut  (the  Bible 
in  an  unknown  tongue,  the  Latin),  and 
kept  their  hands  upon  the  eyes  of  the 
Indians,  when  they  put  it  to  their  mouths. 

The  Indians,  expressing  themselves  to 
be  well  satisfied  with  what  the  minister 
had  thus  far  said,  prayed  him  to  go  on, 
and  show  them  what  was  the  good  drink, 
and  what  was  the  poison  which  the  French 
had  put  into  it. 

He  then  stated  to  them  distinctly  the 
chief  articles  of  the  Christian  religion, 
with  all  the  simplicity  and  sincerity  of  a 
Protestant ;  adding  upon  each.  This  is  the 
good  drink  in  the  Lord's  cup  of  life :  and 
they  still  professed  that  they  liked  it  all. 


14 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


} 


He  further  demonstrated  to  them,  how 
the  Papists  had,  in  their  idolatrous  popery, 
in  some  way  or  other  depraved  every  one 
of  these  articles,  with  base  ingredients  of 
their  own  invention;  adding  upon  each, 
This  is  the  poison  which  the  French  have 
put  into  the  cup. 

At  last  he  mentioned  this  article. 

To  obtain  the  pardon  of  your  sins,  you 
must  confess  them  to  God,  and  pray  to  him 
to  pardon  them  for  the  sake  of  Jesus  Christ, 
who  died  for  the  sins  of  his  people.  God 
loves  Jesus  Christ  infinitely;  and  if  you 
place  your  eye  on  Jesus  Christ,  and  him 
only,  when  you  beg  the  pardon  of  your 
sins,  God  will  pardon  them.  You  need 
confess  your  sins  to  none  but  God,  except 
when  men  have  known  your  sins,  or  have 
been  hurt  by  them ;  and  then  those  men 
should  know  that  you  confess  your  sins  ; 
but,  after  all,  none  but  God  can  pardon 
them.  '       ' 

He  then  added,  The  French  have  put 
poison  into  this  good  drink.  They  tell 
you,  that  you  must  confess  your  sins  to  a 
priest,  and  submit  to  a  penance  enjoined 


THE     CASCO    CAPTIVE. 


15 


by  a  priest ;  and  this  priest  is  to  give  you  a 
pardon.  There  is  no  need  of  all  this 
ceremony  to  obtain  pardon.  It  is  nothing 
but  French  poison,  all  of  it. 

The  Indians  appeared  astonished  to  meet 
with  one  who  would  put  them  in  a  way  to 
obtain  the  pardon  of  their  sins  without 
paying  their  beaver  skins  for  it ;  and,  in  a 
rapture  of  admiration,  they  fell  on  their 
knees,  took  the  minister's  hand  into  theirs, 
and  began  to  kiss  it  with  an  extreme  show 
of  affection. 

He  shook  them  off,  however,  with  dis- 
like of  their  posture;  and  Bommaseen, 
with  the  rest,  stood  up,  and  lifted  up  his 
eyes  and  hands  to  heaven,  and  declared 
that  God  should  be  judge  of  his  heart  in 
what  he  said.  He  then  said,  "  Sir,  I  thank 
you  for  these  things ;  I  resolve  to  spit  up 
all  the  French  poison ;  you  shall  be  my 
father;  I  will  be  your  son ;  I  beseech  you 
to  continue  to  instruct  me  in  that  religion 
which  may  bring  me  to  the  salvation  of 
my  soul." 

Of  the  result  of  this  conference  it  is  only 
added — Now  God  knows  what  heart  this 


16 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


Indian  had  when  he  so  expressed  himself; 
and  to  him  let  us  leave  it. 


SCENERY  ABOUT  PORTLAND. 

The  powerful  influence  of  artful  priests 
operated,  therefore  ^  upon  the  savage  spirits 
of  the  Indians,  to  urge  them  on  to  assault, 
and  harass  and  destroy  the  young  families 
of  Maine.  Thus  a  cloud  was  gathering 
afar  off,  that  was  to  move  on  sullenly,  and 
pour  its  ruinous  storm  upon  the  little  settle- 
ment on  the  Neck  in  Casco  Bay.  This 
Neck  is  a  tract  of  land  between  Fore  River 
and  Back  Cove,  which  the  baildings  of 
Portland  now  cover.  It  is  a  graceful 
sweep  between  two  hills,  narrowing  as  it 
sinks,  till  the  middle  forms  a  neck,  and 
then  widening  as  it  rises  again  to  the 
opposite  hill.  From  the  hill  on  the  east  at 
the  end  of  the  peninsula,  called  Munjoy's 
hill,  an  extensive,  and  now  a  beautiful 
prospect  is  presented.  Immediately  under 
your  eye  lies  the  populous  and  spacious 
grave-yard ;  and  then  the  houses,  inter- 
spersed with  churches  and  other  public 
buildings,  stretch  along,  till  the  eye  rests 


at 
fs 
ful 
ler 
ius 
jr- 
lic 

5tS 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


17 


upon  the  agreeable  and  yet  unoccupied 
plain  which  forms  the  summit  of  the  hill 
on  the  other  side  of  the  city.  Along  the 
left,  on  Fore  River,  is  the  shipping,  which 
adds  much  life  and  cheerfulness  to  the 
scenery.  Beyond  the  city,  west  and  north, 
the  land  gently  rises  like  an  amphitheatre 
spreading  to  the  view,  through  the  distance 
of  thirty  miles;  and  then,  beyond  these 
hills,  at  about  sixty  miles'  distance,  rises 
the  majestic  White  Mountains,  white  al- 
most through  the  year  with  their  lasting 
snows,  and  thus  suggesting  the  name  they 
bear.  Over  this  prospect  are  presented  to 
the  vision,  villages  adorned  with  temples 
of  the  living  God.  At  the  east  is  exhibited 
a  delightfully  mingled  scenery  of  land  and 
water,  furnished  by  the  expanse  of  Casco 
Bay  and  its  many  islands,  with  the  rivers 
that  run,  and  the  points  that  project  into  it. 
On  the  south  extends  the  great  and  wide 
sea,  spotted  here  and  there  with  sails,  that 
appear  large  or  small  according  to  their  dis- 
tance ;  and  all  suggest  interesting  thoughts 
of  the  life  and  bustle  and  wealth  which 
they  contain.  In  a  spot  where  the  pros- 
3 


i 


i 


__^ 


18 


HANNAH    SWANTON 


1 


I  I 


pect  all  around  is  so  wide,  and  the  objects 
seen  are  so  various,  so  beautiful,  or  in- 
teresting in  themselves,  and  so  finely 
grouped,  the  religious  mind  will  adore  in 
thought  the  power,  skill,  and  beneficence 
of  God. 

How  monstrous  that,  amidst  the  grandeur, 
the  beauty,  the  luxuriance,  and  the  name- 
less accommodations  for  man  which  the 
earth  presents,  through  the  goodness  of  the 
Creator,  there  should  be  hypocrisy,  bigotry, 
encroachment,  fraud,  violence  and  blood- 
shed. How  strong  is  tbd  contrast  between 
the  glory  of  God's  works  of  creation,  and 
the  depravity  of  the  rational  beings  who 
dwell  amidst  these  works ! 

Was  this  fair  world  made  to  be  marred 
by  the  various  operations  of  war ;  and  by 
scenes  of  cruelty,  fraud  and  sensuality? 
We  might  think  the  earth  would  refuse  to 
bear  so  much  wickedness,  and  that  the  sun 
would  refuse  to  look  upon  it. 

There  have  been  times  when  this  idea 
has  been  realized ;  when  God  has  caused  the 
earth  to  open  and  swallow  up  daring  offen- 
ders, and  when  the  heavens  have  poured 


. 


M 
^^^*, 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


19 


► 


» 


down  destructive  storms  upon   a  wicked 
and  accursed  people. 

liCt  the  reader  pause  and  reflect  that 
man's  wickedness  is  suffered  to  rage  fov 
tiiis  reason,  that  as  he  is  created  with  the 
powers  of  a  moral  agent,  he  is  left  to  act 
in  this  capacity,  that  he  may  form  and 
exhibit  his  character,  and  he  may,  accord- 
ing  to  it,  be  either  cursed  or  blessed. 

The  history,  therefore,  of  every  village, 
of  every  family,  and,  indeed,  of  every 
individual,  will  be  rich  in  instruction.  It 
will  exhibit  man's  guilt  and  folly,  and 
their  fatal  consequences ;  or  it  will  display 
his  fear  of  God — his  wisdom,  and  the 
happy  result  of  faith  and  obedience. 

Mun joy's  hill  is  now  completely  bare, 
without  tree  or  shrub  and  with  only  short 
scanty  grass  cropped  close  by  the  cows  that 
in  summer  days  pasture  on  it,  and  crowned 
on  its  summit  by  the  Observatory  and  a 
few  dwelling-houses,  and  occupied  on  its 
brow  by  a  decaying  battery,  and  about  its 
sides  and  base  by  the  habitations  of  a 
populous  city.  But  at  the  period  to  which 
this  history  relates,  it  was  covered  with  a 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


) 


forest ;  and,  if  you  could  look  through  its 
trees,  upon  the  wilderness  below,  you 
might  near  the  shore  see  the  abodes  of 
twenty-five  families,  some  of  them  garri- 
soned houses;  and  at  the  left,  on  a  point, 
projecting  into  Fore  River,  and  terminating 
in  a  cliff, ^  Fort  Loyal,  the  place  of  refuge 
and  defence,  to  which  families  retired 
when  their  garrisons  could  not  resist  a 
powerful  foe.  Here  lived  the  family  of 
Mrs.  Swan  ton. 


EVIL    INFLUENCE    OP    ROMAN    CATHOLIC 
PRIESTS    ON    THE    INDIANS    OF    MAINE. 

Over  the  Indians  of  New  England,  the 
French  of  Canada  early  acquired  a  power- 
ful influence ;  and  from  Quebec  they  excit- 
ed the  tenants  of  the  woods  to  attack  the 
young  and  feeble  settlements  on  the  coast 
of  Maine.  Thury,  about  1690,  was  a 
Catholic  missionary  on  the  banks  of  the 
Penobscot ;  and  in  his  zeal  for  his  faith,  he 
labored   to  persuade  the  Indians  that,  by 


'*'  Where  India  Street  terminates,  and  where  i3  now  the  Steam- 
boat Landing.  »  5    .  -> 


'» 


THE     CASCO    CAPTIVE. 


21 


Its 


I 


exterminating  all  the  English  families  in 
Maine,  they  would  again  become  sole 
masters  of  the  land,  and  would  do  God 
service.  "  My  children,"  said  this  warrior 
missionary  to  his  flock,  "  God  commands 
you  to  shake  the  sleep  from  your  eyes. 
The  hatchet  must  be  cleaned  of  its  rust,  to 
avenge  him  of  his  enemies,  and  to  secure 
to  you  your  rights  Night  and  day  a  con- 
tinual prayer  shall  ascend  to  him  for  your 
success;  an  unceasing  rosary  shall  be 
observed  until  you  return  covered  with  the 
glory  of  triumph." 

Monsieur  Denonville,  a  French  ruler  in 
Canada,  acknowledged  to  the  Minister  of 
Marine  in  France,  that  he  owed  to  the 
missionaries,  and  particularly  to  two  priests, 
the  friendship  of  the  Indians  in  Maine,  and  (***  'W-  ; 
their  success  in  their  expeditions  against 
the  English. 

In  1688,  the  Indians,  encouraged  by 
promise  of  assistance  from  the  French  in 
Canada,  began  to  assail  the  eastern  planta- 
tions in  Maine,  after  some  years  of  peace. 
The  next  year  a  large  body  of  Indians,  in  . 
120  canoes,  attacked  Falmouth,  now  Port- 


iCajisl^ 


^!^ 


22 


HANNAH     SWAN  TON 


) 


land.  In  the  merciful  providence  of  God, 
Col.  Benjamin  Church,  with  soldiers  from 
Massachusetts,  arrived  the  very  day  before 
the  attack  was  made,  and  thus  saved  the 
whole  population  of  the  town  from  the 
merciless  savages.  In  1690,  the  place  was 
assailed  again,  the  enemies  consisting  of 
French  and  Indians.  The  inhabitants  had 
no  public  military  force  for  their  defence, 
and  they  fled  to  their  garrisons,  which 
were  dwelling-houses,  built  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  allow  of  being  defended 
against  an  enemy.  From  the  garrisons 
they  retreated  to  the  fort.  Here  they 
defended  themselves  for  several  days ;  but 
at  length,  on  the  20th  of  May,  they  surren- 
dered, on  condition  that  they  should  be 
safely  conducted  to  the  next  English  town, 
and  that  the  Governor  of  the  French 
should  hold  up  his  hand  and  swear,  by  the 
great  and  ever-living  God,  that  the  con- 
dition should  be  observed. 

But  when  they  had  delivered  themselves 
up,  the  engagement  was  violated,  and  men, 
women,  and  children  were  suffered  to  be 
made  captives  in  the  hands  of  the  heathen, 


THE     CAS  CO     CAI'TIVE. 


23 


and  to  be  cruelly  murdered,  especially  the 
wounded  men.  Such  af-n  the  I'lUal  fruits 
of  the  custom  of  war !  Such  is  the  off- 
spring of  the  bigotry  of  a  corrupt  church ! 
Such  are  the  consequences  of  man's  apos- 
tasy from  God !  If  individuals  of  Christian 
nations  have  suffered  from  the  violence  and 
perfidy  of  pagans;  others,  disgracing  the 
Christian  name,  have  inflicted  enormous 
wrongs  upon  uncivilized  nations.  Our 
ancestors  are  not  guiltless.  They  visited 
this  country,  with  the  sword  in  one  hand, 
while  they  held  the  Bible  in  the  other,  and 
they  looked  upon  the  Indians  too  much  as 
savages,  who  were  to  be  coerced  or  extir- 
pated, rather  than  as  rational  beings  who 
might  be  Christianized.  It  is  humbling  to 
observe  how  little  has  been  done,  from  the 
time  when  Maine  was  explored  and  settled, 
to  this  day,  to  instruct  the  Indians  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  gospel,  by  Protestant 
teachers.  At  this  day,  missionaries  labor 
with  safety  in  all  countries ;  and  the  oppo- 
sition they  encounter,  is  from  papal  rather 
than  from  pagan  enemies.  God  has,  how- 
ever, wrenched  the  sword  from  the  hand 


24 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


J 


of  antichrist,  and  he  can  only  rage  and 
threaten,  not  smite  and  destroy.  But  it 
was  not  so  in  the  early  days  of  New 
England.  The  Pope  has  the  same  dispo- 
sition now  as  then,  but  not  the  same  power. 
The  Roman  Church  professes  to  be  infalli- 
ble, and  must  therefore  be  immutable ;  and 
what  it  was  in  the  days  of  its  power,  it  is 
in  disposition  now  in  the  days  of  its  weak- 
ness. Now,  however,  we  see  the  lion,  not 
roaring  and  ravening  in  the  forest,  but 
confined  in  a  cage,  and  incapable  of  show- 
ing his  natural  ferocity. 

Among  the  persons  who  suffered  by 
French,  Indian,  and  Roman  Catholic  hos- 
tility, when  Falmouth  was  assailed,  was 
Hannah  Swanton.  She  thus  describes  her 
captivity  and  deliverance. 


MRS.    SWANTON    TAKEN    CAPTIVE    BY    THE 

INDIANS. 

I  WAS  taken  by  the  Indians  when  Casco^ 
fort  was  taken,  in  May,  1690.  My  hus- 
band was  slain,  and  my  four  children  were 


'"  Falmouth,  being  in  Casco  Bay,  was  often  called  Casco. 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE 


25 


taken  with  me.  The  eldest  of  my  sons 
they  killed  about  two  months  after  I  was 
taken;  and  the  rest  were  scattered  from 
me.  I  was  left  a  widow,  and  as  bereaved 
of  my  children;  for,  though  they  were 
alive,  I  could  see  them  but  very  seldom, 
and  had  not  liberty  to  converse  with  them 
without  danger  either  to  my  life  or  theirs ; 
for  our  mutual  condolence  and  affection  so 
displeased  our  Indian  masters,  to  whose 
share  we  fell,  that  they  would  threaten  to 
kill  us,  if  we  conversed  much,  or  cried 
together.  Thus  my  condition  was  like 
what  the  Lord  threatened,  in  Ez.  xxiv.  22, 
23,  ''  Ye  shall  not  cover  your  lips,  nor 
eat  the  bread  of  men.  And  your  tires 
shall  be  upon  your  heads,  and  your  shoes 
upon  your  feet;  ye  shall  not  mourn  nor 
weep;  but  ye  shall  pine  away  for  your 
iniquities,  and  mourn  one  toward  another." 
We  dared  not  mourn  nor  weep  in  the  sight 
of  our  enemies,  lest  we  should  lose  our 
lives.  At  first,  while  the  enemy  feasted 
on  our  English  provisions,  I  might  have 
had  some  with  them,  but  then  I  was  so 
filled  with  sorrow  and  tears,  that  I  had 


26 


HANNAH     S WANTON 


little  appetite  to  eat ;  and  when  my  appe- 
tite returned,  our  English  food  was  spent ; 
and  the  Indians  themselves  wanted,  and 
we  much  more,  and  then  I  pined  with 
hunger.  We  had  no  corn  nor  bread ;  but 
sometimes  ground-nuts,  acorns,  purslain, 
hog-weed,  weeds,  roots,  and  sometimes 
dog's  flesh,  but  not  sufficient  of  these  to 
satisfy  hunger.  We  had  no  success  at 
hunting,  except  that  one  bear  was  killed,, 
of  which  I  had  part.  Another  time  I  had 
a  very  small  part  of  a  turtle ;  and  once  an 
Indian  gave  me  a  piece  of  a  moose's  liver, 
which  was  a  sweet  morsel  to  me.  We 
had  fish  also,  when  we  could  catch  it. 
Thus  I  continued  with  them,  hurried  up 
and  down  the  wilderness,  from  May  20th 
to  the  middle  of  February,  continually 
carrying  a  great  burden.  I  must  go,  too, 
at  their  pace,  or  be  immediately  killed. 
At  the  same  time,  I  suffered  from  cold, 
through  want  of  clothing,  being  dressed  by 
them  in  Indian  apparel,  with  a  slight 
blanket,  no  stockings,  and  but  one  pair  of 
Indian  shoes,  and  of  their  leather  stockings 
for  the  winter.     My  feet  were  sometimes 


J 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


27 


wounded  by  sharp  stones  and  prickl^'" 
bushes,  and  at  other  times  they  were 
pinched  by  snow  and  ice ;  for  upon  this  I 
traveled,  ready  to  be  frozen,  and  to  faint 
from  want  of  food,  so  that  I  often  thought 
I  could  go  no  further,  but  must  lie  down 
and  let  them  kill  me  if  they  would.  Yet 
then,  God  so  renewed  my  strength,  that  I 
went  on  still  further,  as  my  master  re- 
quired, and  held  out  with  them. 

Though  many  Englishmen  were  taken, 
and  1  was  with  them,  at  times,  while  about 
Casco  Bay  and  Kennebec  River,  yet  at 
Norridgewock  we  were  separated,  and 
none  of  the  English  were  in  our  company, 
but  a  man  named  John  York,  and  myself. 
We  were  both  almost  starved,  and  yet  we 
were  told  that  if  we  could  not  travel  on 
with  them  they  would  kill  us.  And  ac- 
cordingly, when  Mr.  York  grew  weak 
from  Avant  of  food,  they  killed  him,  and 
threatened  me  with  the  same  fate.  Once 
my  Indian  mistress  and  myself  were  left 
alone,  while  the  rest  of  the  party  went 
away  to  fish;  and  they  left  us  no  food 
from  Sabbath  morning  to  the  next  Satur- 


J 


28 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


^^ 


^: 


;h-, 


day,  except  a  piece  of  an  animal  that  could 
not  be  eaten.  On  Saturday  I  w  is  sent  by 
my  mistress  to  that  part  of  the  island 
where  I  should  probably  see  some  canoe, 
and  there  make  a  fire  and  smoke,  to  invite 
some  Indians,  if  I  should  spy  any,  to  come 
and  relieve  us.  I  discovered  a  canoe,  and 
by  signs  I  invited  them  to  the  shore. 
They  proved  to  be  Indian  women,  who 
understood  our  wants,  and  one  of  them 
gave  me  a  roasted  eel,  which  seemed  to 
me  the  most  palatable  food  I  ever  ate. 
Sometimes  we  lived  on  whortleberries,  and 
sometimes  on  a  kind  of  wild  cherry  which 
grew  on  bushes.  These  I  was  once  sent 
to  gather  in  a  season  so  bitterly  cold,  that 
I  was  not  able  to  grasp  them  with  my 
benumbed  fingers.  Amidst  these  hard- 
ships, God  preserved  me  from  sickness, 
and  from  such  weakness  as  would  have 
disabled  me  from  traveling  when  required. 
My  Indian  mistress  had  been  brought  up 
by  the  English  at  Black  Point,  in  Scar- 
borough, near  to  Falmouth,  and  was  now 
married  to  a  Canada  Indian,  and  had 
become  a  Papist;    she   would  sometimes 


THE     CAS CO     CAPTIVE. 


29 


ij 


say,  that,  had  the  English  been  as  careful 
to  instruct  her  in  their  religion  as  the 
French  were  to  instruct  her  in  theirs,  she 
might  have  been  of  their  religion ;  and  she 
would  say,  that  God  delivered  us  into  their 
hands  to  punish  us  for  our  sins,  and  this  I 
knew  was  true  as  to  myself.  And  as  I 
desired  to  recollect  all  the  sins,  for  which 
the  Lord  punished  me,  so  this  lay  many  a 
time  very  heavy  upon  my  spirit,  that  1 
had  left  the  public  worship  and  ordinances 
of  God,  where  I  formerly  lived,  at  Beverly, 
and  removed  to  Casco  Bay,  where  there 
was  no  church  nor  minister  of  the  gospel. 
And  this  we  did,  for  large  accommodations 
in  the  world,  thereby  exposing  our  children 
to  be  brought  up  ignorantly  like  Indians, 
and  exposing  ourselves  also  to  forget  what 
we  had  been  taught.  Thus  we  turned  our 
back  upon  God's  ordinances,  to  get  this 
world's  goods.  But  now  God  stripped  me 
of  these  things  also ;  and  I  could  not  but 
justify  him  in  all  that  befel  me,  and  ac- 
knowledge that  he  had  punished  me  less 
than  my  iniquities  deserved.  I  was  now 
bereaved  of  husband,  children,  friends, 
4 


mssasanseeMX^^SK 


30 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


neighbors,  house,  estate,  bread,  clothes, 
and  suitable  lodging.  My  very  life  was 
daily  exposed,  as  I  was  in  continual 
danger  of  being  killed  by  the  Indians,  or  of 
pining  to  death  from  famine,  or  of  tiring  to 
death  by  hard  traveling,  or  of  perishing 
with  cold  in  the  winter  season.  I  was  so 
amazed  with  many  troubles,  and  perplexed 
by  anxious  cares,  how  to  preserve  myself 
from  danger,  and  supply  my  urgent  wants, 
that  I  had  not  time  nor  leisure  to  c  aisider 
aright  the  great  concerns  of  my  soul ; 
neither  had  I  any  Bible  or  good  book 
to  look  into,  or  Christian  friend  to  consult, 
in  these  distresses ;  but  I  may  say,  the 
words  of  God,  which  I  had  formerly  heard 
or  read,  came  often  into  my  mind,  and 
kept  me  from  perishing  in  my  afflictions. 
For  example,  when  they  threatened  many 
times  to  kill  me,  I  often  thought  of  the 
words  of  our  Savior  to  Pilate,  "  Thou 
couldst  have  no  power  at  all  against  me, 
except  it  were  given  thee  from  above." 
I  knew  they  had  no  power  to  kill  me  but 
what  the  Lord  gave  them ;  and  I  hoped  he 
>vould  not  suffer   them  to  slay  me,  but 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


31 


deliver  me  out  of  their  hands,  and  in  his 
time  restore  me  to  my  country  again. 
When  they  told  me  that  my  eldest  son 
was  killed  by  the  Indians,  I  thought  of 
Jer.  xxxiii.  8,  ''I  will  cleanse  them  from 
all  their  iniquity  whereby  they  have  sinned 
against  me,  and  I  will  pardon  all  their 
iniquities."  I  hoped,  though  the  enemy 
had  barbarously  killed  his  body,  yet  that 
the  Lord  had  pardoned  his  sins,  and  that 
his  soul  was  safe.  When  I  thought  of  my 
many  troubles,  I  remembered  Job's  com- 
plaint, "  Thou  numberest  my  steps,  and 
watchest  over  my  sin ;  my  transgression  is 
sealed  up  in  a  bag ;  and  thou  sewest  up 
mine  iniquity."  This  humbled  me,  and 
made  me  pray  to  God  for  his  pardoning 
mercy  in  Christ ;  and  I  thought  of  David's 
complaint,  and  used  it  in  my  prayers : 
"  How  long  wilt  thou  forget  me,  O  Lord? 
for  over?  how  long  wilt  thou  hide  thy  face 
from  me?  How  long  shall  I  take  counsel 
in  my  soul,  having  sorrow  in  my  heart 
daily?  how  long  shall  mine  enemy  be 
exalted  over  me  ?  "  I  sometimes  bemoaned 
myself  as  Job,  ''  He  hath  stripped  me  of 


32 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


my  glory,  and  taken  the  crown  from  my 
licad.  He  hath  destroyed  me  on  every 
side,  and  I  am  gone :  and  my  hope  hath 
he  removed  Hke  a  tree."  Yet  sometimes  I 
was  encouraged  by  those  words  in  Job, 
*'Thou  shalt  make  thy  prayer  unto  him, 
and  he  shall  hear  thee,  and  thou  shalt  pay 
thy  vows."  I  made  my  vows  to  the  Lord, 
that  I  would  give  myself  up  to  him,  if  he 
would  accept  me  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  would 
pardon  my  sins;  and  I  desired  and  en- 
deavored to  pay  my  vows  to  the  Lord.  I 
prayed  to  him,  "Remember  not  against 
me  the  sins  of  my  youth;"  and  I  be- 
sought him,  "Judge  me,  O  God,  and 
plead  my  cause  against  an  ungodly  nation ; 
deliver  me  from  the  deceitful  and  unjust 
man.  Why  go  I  mourning  because  of  the 
oppression  of  the  enemy ! "  By  many  other 
Scriptures,  also,  that  were  brought  to  my 
remembrance,  was  I  instructed,  directed, 
and  comforted. 


MRS.    SWANTON    ARRIVES    AT    aUEBEC. 

Now  I  traveled  over  steep  and  hideous 
mountains,  and  again  over  swamps  and 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


33 


thickets  of  fallen  trees,  lying  one,  two,  or 
three  feet  from  the  ground,  stepping  from 
one  to  another,  and  thus  passing  near  a 
thousand  in  a  day,  and  carrying  a  great 
burden  on  my  back.  Yet  I  dreaded  going 
to  Canada,  from  fear  that  I  should  be  per- 
suaded to  adopt  their  religion;  which  I 
had  vowed  to  God  that  I  would  not  do. 
But  at  length  my  sufferings  became  so 
extreme,  that  I  was  willing  to  go  to  pre- 
serve my  life.  After  many  wearisome 
journeys,  through  frost  and  snow,  we  came 
to  Canada  about  the  middle  of  February, 
1691 ;  and,  traveling  over  the  river,  my 
master  pitched  his  wigv/am  in  sight  of 
some  French  houses ;  and  then  they  sent 
me  to  those  houses  to  beg  victuals  for 
them.  This  I  did,  and  found  the  French 
very  kind  to  me,  giving  me  beef,  and  pork, 
and  bread,  of  which  I  had  been  destitute 
for  nine  months,  so  that  I  experienced  a 
happy  change  in  my  diet.  But  so  wound- 
ed were  my  limbs  by  the  roughness  of  my 
way,  that  as  I  traveled,  I  might  be  tracked 
by  my  blood  in  the  snow.     When  I  was 

about  to  go  again  to  beg  of  the  French,  I 
4# 


34 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


> 


asked  leave  to  stay  all  night,  to  which  my 
master  consented,  and  sent  me  eastward, 
to  houses  which  were  towards  Quebec, 
though  then  I  knew  it  not.  Having  there- 
fore begged  provisions  at  a  French  house, 
as  it  was  near  night,  as  I  was  myself 
refreshed,  and  had  food  to  carry  to  the 
Indians,  I  signified  as  well  as  I  could  to 
the  French  woman  that  I  desired  to  stay 
by  her  fire  that  night. 

On  this,  she  laid  a  good  bed  on  the  floor, 
and  good  coverings  for  me,  and  there  I 
lodged  comfortably.  The  next  morning, 
before  I  left  the  house  to  return  to  my 
Indian  master,  two  men  came  in,  and  one 
of  them  said  to  me  in  Enghsh,  "I  am 
glad  to  see  you,  country-woman!"  It 
was  exceedingly  reviving  to  me  to  hear 
the  voice  of  an  Englishman.  The  other 
man  was  a  French  tavern  keeper.  After 
some  conversation,  he  asked  me  to  go  with 
him  to  Quebec,  which,  he  told  me,  was 
about  four  miles  off.  I  replied  that  my 
Indian  master  might  kill  me  on  my  return. 
After  my  English  friend  had  conversed  in 
French  with  his  fellow- traveler,  he  said  to 


THE     CASCO     CATTIVE. 


35 


niG  that  this  Frenchman  engaged,  that  if  I 
would  go  with  them,  he  would  keep  me 
from  returning  to  the  Indians,  and  I  should 
be  ransomed,  and  my  French  hostess  per- 
suaded me  to  comply  with  their  invitation. 
I  went  accordingly,  and  was  conveyed  to 
the  house  of  the  Lord-Intendant,  Monsieur 
le  Tenant,  who  was  Chief  Judge,  and 
second  to  the  Governor,  by  whose  lady  I 
was  kindly  entertained,  and  had  French 
clothes  given  me  instead  of  my  Indian 
dress,  with  good  food  and  lodging;  and 
then  I  was  removed  to  the  hospital,  where 
I  received  medical  attention,  and  was  very 
courteously  provided  for.  After  some  time, 
when  my  Indian  master  and  mistress  came 
for  me,  the  lady-intendant  paid  my  ransom, 
and  I  became  her  servant.  To  the  honor 
of  the  French,  I  must  say,  they  were 
exceedingly  kind  to  me  at  first,  even  as 
much  as  I  could  expect  from  my  own 
countrymen,  so  that  I  wanted  nothing 
for  my  accommodation  which  they  could 
supply. 


n 

to 


36 


II  ANNA  li     S  WANTON 


) 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  ARGUMENTS. 

Thus  I  experienced  a  great  and  happy 
change  in  my  circumstances,  being  de- 
Uvered  from  my  former  hardships,  and 
from  my  cruel  oppressors ;  but  now  I  met 
with  stronger  temptations,  and  spiritual 
trouble,  and  danger  to  my  soul.  For  the 
lady,  my  mistress,  the  nuns,  the  priests, 
the  friars,  and  others,  assailed  me,  with  all 
their  strength  of  argument,  from  Scripture, 
as  they  interpreted  it,  to  persuade  me  to 
become  a  Papist.  They  urged  me  with 
very  much  zeal,  love,  entreaties,  and  prom- 
ises, to  turn  to  them;  and  with  many 
threatenings,  and  sometimes  with  harsh 
usage,  because  I  did  not  adopt  their  re- 
ligion. Indeed,  they  sometimes  threatened 
to  send  me  to  France  to  be  burned,  because 
I  would  not  be  a  Papist.  Then  was  I  con- 
soled by  that  Scripture,  "  We  were  pressed 
out  of  measure  above  strength,  irsumuch 
that  we  despaired  even  of  life;  but  we  had 
tlie  sentence  of  death  in  ourselves  that  we 
should  not  trust  in  ourselves.  1  knew  God 
was  able  to  deliver  me,  as  he  did  Paul,  and 
as  he  did  the  three  children  out  of  the  fiery 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


37 


re- 
ned 
iiise 
con- 
ssed 
iich 
)'id 
we 
jod 
and 
ery 


furnace;  and  I  believed  he  would  either 
deliver  me  from  them,  or  fit  me  for  what 
he  called  me   lo  suffer   for  his  sake  and 
name.     For  their  praying  to  angels  they 
brought  the  history  of  the  angel  who  was 
sent  to  the  virgin  Mary.     I  answered  them 
from  Rev.  xix.  10,  and  xxii.  9,    "And  I 
fell  at  his  feet  to  worship  him.     And  he 
said  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not:  I  am 
thy  fellow-servant,   and  of   thy  brethren 
that  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus:  worship 
God."     "  And  when  I  had  heard  and  seen, 
I  fell  down  to  worship  before  the  feet  of 
the  angel  which  showed  me  these  things. 
Then  saith  he  unto  me,  See  thou  do  it  not : 
for  I   am  thy  fellow- servant,  and  of  thy 
brethren  the  prophets,  and  of  them  which 
keep  the  sayings  of  this  book :  worship  God." 
For  purgatory,   they  adduced  Matt.  v. 
25,  "  Agree  with  thine  adversary  quickly, 
while  thou  art  in  the  way  with  him  ]  lest 
at  any  time  the  adversary  deliver  thee  to 
the  judge,  and  the  judge  deliver  thee  to 
the  officer,  and  thou  be  cast  into  prison. 
Verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Thou  shalt  by  no 
means  come  out  thence,  till  thou  hast  paid 
the  uttermost  farthing."    I  replied,  that  to 


38 


HANNAH     SWANTON, 


agree  with  our  adversary  in  the  way,  was, 
to  agree  with  God  while  here  on  earth; 
and  if  we  did  not  agree  with  him,  we 
should  be  cast  into  hell,  and  should  not 
come  out  till  we  had  paid  the  uttermost 
farthing,  which  would  never  be  paid.  But 
it  is  needless  for  me,  a  poor  woman,  to 
inform  the  world  what  arguments  I  used, 
even  if  I  could  now  remember  them,  and 
many  of  them  have  escaped  from  my 
memory. 


If 


h 


i     . 


FELLOWSHIP     WITH     THE    ROMISH 
RELIGION    DECLINED. 

I  SHALL  proceed  to  relate  my  trials  on 
this  subject.  I  was  compelled,  either  to 
maintain  the  religion  in  which  I  was 
brought  up,  and  which  in  my  conscience 
I  believed  to  be  true;  or  adopt  another 
which  I  believed  was  false.  I  was  pre- 
served from  apostasy  by  that  Scripture, 
"  Whosoever  shall  confess  me  before  men, 
him  will  I  confess  also  before  my  Father 
which  is  in  heaven.  But  whosoever  shall 
deny  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also  deny 
before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven."  I 
thought,  that  if  I  should  deny  the  truth, 


THE     CAS CO     CAPTIVE. 


39 


ny 
I 
th. 


and  own  their  religion,  I  should  den/ 
Christ.  Yet,  at  their  persuasion,  I  went  to 
see,  and  attend  their  worship  sometimes; 
but  never  to  receive  their  sacrament.  ,And 
once  when  I  was  at  their  worship,  this 
Scripture  came  to  my  mind,  "What  com- 
munion hath  light  with  darkness?  And 
what  concord  hath  Christ  with  Belial  7  or 
wliat  part  hath  he  that  believeth  with  an 
infidel?  And  what  agreement  hath  the 
temple  of  God  with  idols?  Wherefore 
come  out  from  among  them,  and  be  ye 
separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch  not  the 
unclean  thing;  and  I  will  receive  you; 
and  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye 
shall  be  my  sons  and  my  daughters,  saith 
the  Lord  Almighty."  This  Scripture  so 
impressed  my  mind  that  I  thought  I  erred 
in  being  present  at  the  idolatrous  worship, 
and  I  resolved  never  more  to  attend  it. 
But  when  the  time  drew  nigh,  that  I  was 
to  go  again,  I  was  so  restless  that  night, 
that  I  could  not  sleep ;  for  I  was  thinking 
what  I  should  say,  when  urged  again  to 
attend,  and  what  I  should  do.  In  the 
morning,  a  French  woman  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, said  to  me,  that  if  I  Ayould  not  be  of 


40 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


f!   ! 


their  religion,  I  did  but  mock  at  it,  to  go 
to  their  worship ;  and  she  told  me  that  if  I 
would  not  be  of  their  religion,  I  should  go 
no  more.  Accordingly  I  went  no  more, 
for  they  did  not  force  me  to  it. 

SORROW    FOR    SIN. 

I  HAD  many  conflicts  in  my  mind,  fearing 
that  I  was  not  truly  converted,  and  that  I 
had  no  saving  interest  in  Christ.  I  could 
not  be  of  a  false  religion,  to  please  men: 
for  it  was  against  my  conscience,  and^I 
was  not  fit  to  suffer  for  the  true  religion, 
and  for  Christ ;  for  I  then  feared  I  had  no 
interest  in  him.  I  was  neither  fit  to  live, 
nor  fit  to  die ;  and  once  I  was  brought  to 
the  very  pit  of  despair,  about  what  would 
become  of  my  soul.  By  this  time  I  had 
got  an  English  Bible,  and  other  good  books, 
by  the  help  of  my  fellow-captives.  I  look- 
ed over  the  Scriptures,  and  I  was  arrested 
by  the  prayer  of  Jonah,  "I  said  I  am 
cast  out  of  thy  sight,  yet  will  I  look  again 
toward  thy  holy  temple."  I  resolved  I 
would  do  as  Jonah  did ;  and  in  meditation 
upon  this  Scripture,  the  Lord  was  pleased 
by  his  Spirit  to  come  into  my  soul,  and  to 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


41 


fill  mc  with  comfort  so  ravishing  that  I 
cannot  describe  it.  Then  came  to  my 
mind  the  history  of  the  transfiguration  of 
Christ,  and  of  Peter's  saying,  "  Lord,  it 
is  good  for  us  to  be  here."  I  thought  it 
was  good  for  me  to  be  here ;  and  I  was  so 
filled  with  comfort  and  joy,  that  I  even 
wished  I  could  be  so  always,  and  never 
sleep;  or  else  die  in  that  rapture  of  joy,  and 
never  live  to  sin  any  more  against  the  Lord. 
Now  I  thought  God  was  my  God,  and  that 
my  sins  were  pardoned  through  Christ; 
and  now  I  could  suffer  for  Christ,  yea,  die 
for  Christ,  or  do  any  thing  for  him.  My 
sins  had  been  a  burden  to  me ;  and  I 
desired  to  see  them  all,  and  repent  of  them 
with  my  whole  heart,  and  of  that  sin 
which  had  especially  oppressed  me,  namel)^, 
that  I  left  the  public  ivorship  and  ordi- 
nances of  God^  to  go  and  live  in  a  remote 
place,  ivithout  the  public  ininistry  ;  de- 
priving ourselves  and  our  children  of  so 
great  a  benefit  to  our  soids ;  ajid  aXL  this 
for  worldly  advantages.  I  found  a  tieart 
to  repent  of  them  all ;  and  to  lay  hold  of 
the  blood  of  Christ,  to  cleanse  me  from 
them  all.  ^ 


II 


42 


HANNAH     SWANTON 


; 


m\ 


COMPORT    IN    RELIGION. 

I  FOUND  much  comfort,  while  among  the 
French,  in  the  opportunities  I  sometimes  had 
to  read  the  Scriptures  and  other  good  books, 
and  to  pray  to  God  in  secret.  I  enjoyed 
greatly,  also,  the  conferences  about  the 
things  of  God,  and  the  seasons  of  social 
prayer  which  some  of  us  captives  held; 
and  I  specially  enjoyed  myself  with  one 
that  was  in  the  same  house  with  me, 
Margaret  Stilson.  Then  was  tbe  word  of 
God  precious  to  us ;  and  they  that  feared 
the  Lord  spake  one  to  another  as  we  had 
opportunity.  Colonel  Tyng  and  Mr.  Al- 
den,  as  they  were  permitted,  spake  to  us  to 
confirm  and  strengthen  us  in  the  ways  of 
the  Lord.  At  length  the  French  debarred 
our  coming  together  for  religious  conference 
or  other  duties ;  and  word  was  sent  us  bv 
Mr.  Alden,  that  this  was  one  kind  of 
persecution  that  we  must  suffer  for  Christ. 

These  are  sjme  of  the  Scriptures  which 
have  been  my  support  and  comfort  in  the 
affliction  of  my  captivity  among  the  papists. 
That  in  Ezek.  xvi.  6 — 8,  I  applied  to  my- 
self, and  I  desired  to  enter  into  covenant 


1^' 


THE     CASCO    CAPTIVE. 


43 


with  the  Lord,  and  to  be  his ;  and  I  prayed 
to  the  Lord,  and  hoped  he  would  return 
me  to  my  country  again,  that  I  might 
enter  into  covenant  with  him,  among  his 
people,  and  enjoy  communion  with  him  in 
his  churches  and  pubhc  ordinances.  These 
prayers  the  Lord  has  now  heard  and 
graciously  answered ;  praised  be  his  name ! 
The  Lord  enable  me  to  live  suitably  to  his 
mercy,  and  to  those  precious  public  privi- 
leges which  I  now  enjoy  !  That  passage 
in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Ezekiel  was  a 
great  comfort  to  me  in  my  captivity ; 
"  Although  I  have  cast  them  far  off  among 
the  heathen,  yet  will  I  be  a  little  sanctuary 
to  them :  I  will  gather  you  from  the  people 
where  you  have  been  scattered."  I  found 
God  a  little  sanctuary  to  me  there,  and  I 
hoped  he  would  bring  me  into  the  country 
from  whence  I  had  been  scattered.  And 
the  Lord  hath  heard  the  prayer  of  the 
destitute  and  not  despised  my  prayer,  but 
he  has  granted  me  the  desire  of  my  soul, 
in  bringing  me  to  his  house,  and  to 
my  relations  again.  I  often  thought  on 
the  history  of  the  man  born  blind;  of 
whom  Christ,  when  his  disciples  asked, 


44 


HANNAH     SWAN TON, 


m 


!, 


"Who  did  sin,  this  man,  or  his  parents, 
that  he  was  born  blind?"  answered, 
"Neither  hath  this  man  sinned,  nor  his 
parents :  but  that  the  works  of  God  should 
be  made  manifest  in  him."  So,  though  I 
had  desired  all  this,  yet  I  knew  not  but 
that  one  reason  of  God's  bringing  all  these 
afflictions  upon  me,  and  then  enabling  me 
to  bear  them,  was,  that  the  works  of  God 
might  be  made  manifest.  In  my  great 
distress  I  was  revived  by  that  Scripture, 
"  I  shall  not  die  but  live,  and  declare  the 
works  of  the  Lord.  The  Lord  hath 
chastened  me  sore,  but  he  hath  not  given 
me  over  to  death."  I  had  very  often  a 
secret  persuasion,  that  I  should  live  to 
declare  the  works  of  the  Lord.  The 
2  Chron.  vi.  36 — 39,  was  also  a  precious 
'  Scripture  to  me  in  the  day  of  evil,  "If 
they  sin  against  thee  (for  there  is  no  man 
which  sinneth  not),  and  thou  be  angry 
with  them,  and  deliver  them  over  before 
their  enemies,  and  they  carry  them  away 
captives  unto  a  land  far  off  or  near ;  yet 
if  they  bethink  themselves  in  the  land 
whither  they  are  carried  captive,  and  turn 
and  pray  unto  thee,  in  the  land  of  their 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


45 


captivity,  saying,  We  have  sinned;  we 
have  done  amiss,  and  have  dealt  wickedly ; 
if  they  return  to  thee  with  all  their  heart 
and  with  all  their  soul  in  the  land  of  their 
captivity,  whither  they  have  carried  them 
captives,  and  pray  toward  their  land  which 
thou  gavest  unto  their  fathers,  and  toward 
the  city  which  thou  hast  chosen,  and 
toward  the  house  which  I  have  built  for 
thy  name;  then  hear  thou  from  the  heavens, 
even  from  thy  dwelling-place,  their  prayer 
and  their  supplications,  and  maintain  their 
cause,  and  forgive  thy  people  which  have 
sinned  against  thee." 

Margaret  and  I  have  read  over  and 
prayed  over  this  Scripture,  and  talked 
together  of  it ;  how  the  Lord  had  promised, 
though  they  were  scattered  for  their  sins, 
yet  they  should  return,  if  they  did  bethink 
themselves,  and  turn,  and  pray.  Thus  we 
did  bethink  ourselves  in  the  land  where 
we  were  carried  captive,  we  did  return,  did 
pray,  and  endeavored  to  return  to  God  with 
all  our  hearts.  And  as  they  were  to  pray 
toward  the  temple,  I  took  it  that  I  should 
pray  toward  Christ;  and  accordingly  I  did 


40 


HANNAH     SWANTON, 


SO,  and  hoped  the  Lord  would  hear ;  and 
he  hath  hearr'  ''"om  hcav.^n  his  dwclUng- 
place,  my  prayer  and  suppUcation,  and 
maintained  my  cause,  and  not  rejected  me, 
but  returned  me.  And  O,  how  affectionate 
was  ray  reading  of  the  84th  Psalm  in  this 
condition. 


iiil 


W : 


VJi 


y  k!?'^ 


^> 


■xt 


'Vl 


I. 


DELIVERANCE  FROM  CAPTIVITY.      ** 

The  means  of  my  deliverance  were  let- 
ters that  passed  between  the  governments 
of  New  England  and  of  Canada.  Mr. 
Gary  was  sent  with  a  vessel  to  bring  cap- 
tives from  Quebec,  and  when  he  came,  I, 
among  others,  and  my  youngest  son,  had 
our  liberty  to  come  away ;  and  by  God's 
blessing,  we  arrived  in  safet}^,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1695,  at  Boston,  our  desired  haven. 

I  desire,  therefore,  to  praise  the  Lord  for 
his  goodness,  and  for  his  wonderful  works 
to  me.  What  shall  I  render  to  the  Lord  for 
all  his  benefits ! 

MAINE     FLOURISHES     BV     RELKJION    AND 

PEACE. 

For  about  ten  years  the  country  endured 
the  calamities  of  war,  until  in  1698,  the  ^"^"^ 


ND 


THE     CASCO     CAPTIVE. 


47 


ceased,  in  consequence  of  the  treaty  of 
peace  concluded  at  Rysw'.jin  1*97,  be- 
tween the  Enghsh  and  French.  Until 
1699,  Falmouth  continued  a  desolation,  a 
haunt  of  the  savage  man  and  of  the  savage 
beast.  At  length  the  white  man  came 
again.  *he  worshiper  of  God.  The  Bible 
was  brought ;  the  altar  of  God  was  reared 
ill  the  farrily;  the  sanctuary  was  erected ; 
the  minister  of  the  gospel  was  established ; 
and  the  worship  of  Jehovah  was  com- 
menced. A  Christian  population  grew  up, 
and  spread  over  the  forest,  settled  along 
the  rivers,  and  gathered  about  the  shores  ; 
and  here  and  there  they  soon  built  a  house 
for  God;  and  in  the  peaceful  worship  of 
him,  and  in  the  great  pursuits  of  useful 
business,  they  experienced  his  blessing. 
And  here  is  afforded  an  example^  among 
thousands  of  other  similar  examples,  that 
the  gospel  is  the  most  effectual  security 
for  public  prosperity.  Would  that  every 
parent  and  every  child  in  New  England 
saw,  in  the  history  of  our  country,  how 
greatly  we  have  been  blessed  by  the  Sab- 
bath being  kept  holy,  by  pious  and  well- 
educated    ministers   being   supported,  by 


lu 


m 


48 


HANNAH     SWANTON. 


families  generally  and  regularly  attending 
the  public  worship  of  God,  and  by  children 
being  instructed  in  the  catechism,  and  in 
the  first  principles  of  learning  by  the 
primer.  These  habits  are  the  foundation 
of  our  safety  and  greatness;  and  we  do 
not  owe  our  blessings  mainly  to  the  glitter- 
ing sword  and  musket,  the  heavy  cannon, 
the  solid  battery,  and  the  long  and  deep 
and  regular  array  of  soldiery.  It  is  not 
the  ball  and  the  sword,  which  has  cleared 
our  woods,  and  dispossessed  the  savage; 
for,  when  we  fought,  we  were  driven  back 
and  perished ;  and  when  peace  returned,  we 
multiplied ;  and  the  axe,  the  hoe,  and  the 
plough  extended  our  bounds,  and  reached 
through  the  forest.  We  tell  our  children 
in  Maine,  that  while  the  Roman  Catholic 
religion  keeps  the  French  of  Canada  from 
improvement  and  growth,  we,  with  the 
Bible,  the  preacher,  and  the  schoolmaster, 
shall  spread  and  spread  over  the  wilder- 
ness, till,  with  a  peaceful  population,  we 
crowd  to  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  scatter 
over  the  hills  and  valleys  the  cheerful 
school-house  and  the  sacred  place  of  public 
worship. 


I 


APPENDIX. 


ROMAN    CATHOLIC    PRINCIPLES    IN 

CANADA. 


Canada  was  settled  by  the  French,  who 
introduced  their  rehgion,  being  that  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  That  part  which  they 
occupied  is  now  called  Lower  Canada,  and 
nine-tenths  of  its  inhabitants  are  now  (in 
1830)  Roman  Catholics.  The  church  of 
Rome  calls  herself  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church.  The  word  catholic  means  univer- 
sal, and  therefore,  as  some  other  churches 
claim  to  be  universal  or  catholic,  this  is 
called  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  or,  for 
the  sake  of  brevity,  the  Catholic  church. 
It  may  be  said  of  accusations  against  the 
Catholic  church,  that  they  are  untrue ;  and 
that  she  does  not  hold  the  doctrines  charged 
upon  her  as  errors.     The  words  of  the 


i 


I 


60 


AFPEN  DIX. 


kit 


,1 

(I 


11 


church  itself,  however,  can  be  appealed  to, 
as  found  in  the  catechism  of  the  diocese  of 
Quebec,  by  John  de  la  Croix  de  Saint 
Valier,  bishop  of  that  See,  printed  in  the 
French  language,  in  Paris,  France.  The 
catechism,  though  published  so  long  ago, 
expresses  the  Catholic  faith  of  this  day; 
for  the  Catholic  church  professes  to  be 
infallible ;  as  may  be  seen  by  the  following 
extracts : 

''Make  an  act  of  faith." 

"  My  God,  I  believe  firmly  all  that  the 
Church  believes ;  for  thou  hast  revealed  it 
to  the  Church." 

"  Are  we  obliged  to  believe  all  that  the 
Church  proposes  to  us  7" 

"  Yes;  if  any  one  hears  not  the  Church, 
^we  must  hold  him  for  a  heathen  man  and 
a  publican." 

''  Cannot  the  Church  err  ?" 

*'  By  no  means,  because  it  is  the  pillar 
and  ground  of  the  truth." 

"What  do  you  understand  by  the 
Church?" 

"  I  understand  that  it  is  the  assembly  of 
believers,  who,  under  the  care  of  legitimate 


the 


y  of 
late 


APPENDIX. 


51 


pastors,  make  but  one  and  the  same  body, 
of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  head." 

"What  is  the  fourth  reason  of  their 
being  but  one  body?" 

"It  is  that  they  have  but  one  invisible 
head  which  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  one  visible 
head,  which  is  the  Pope,  the  vicar  of  Jesus 
Christ  upon  earth,  and  the  successor  of  St. 
Peter." 

Whatever,  therefore,  have  been  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Catholic  church  in  any  past 
age,  they  are  the  same  now;  and  the 
catechism  of  the  diocese  of  Quebec  must 
teach,  in  1839,  what  the  catechism  of  the 
diocese  taught  in  1700, 

Of  this  catechism,  the  bishop  says  in  the 
preface,  to  the  curates,  missionaries,  and 
believers  of  the  diocese,  "We  command 
you  to  confine  yourselves  exclusively  to 
this  catechism,  and  we  forbid  you  to  make 
use,  in  public,  of  any  other.  Throughout 
Canada,  therefore,  this  catechism  was  the 
book  from  which  the  young  were  instruct- 
ed in  the  Catholic  religion.  The  copy  in 
the  possession  of  the  author  appears  to 
have  been  thoroughly  used,  particularly 


r 


II 


i  ■{'■: 


62 


APPENDIX. 


that  part  containing  the  little  catechism  for 
children. 

The  youth,  who  are  encouraged  to  read 
and  study  the  Bible  for  themselves  in  their 
own  language,  may  see  what  the  children 
of  Canada  was  taught  to  believe,  and  what 
is  the  Catholic  faith  over  the  world. 

You  are  taught  that  the  whole  body  of 
men  throughout  the  world,  professing  the 
faith  of  the  gospel,  and  obedience  to  God 
by  Christ  according  to  it,  not  destroying 
their  profession  by  fundamental  errors,  or 
uiiholiness,  they  and  their  children  with 
them  are,  and  may  be  called,  the  visible 
Catholic  church  of  Christ. 

But  the  children  of  Canada  were  taught 
that  "the  church  is  the  congregation  of 
believing  Christians,  who  make  profession 
of  the  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ  in  submis- 
sion to  their  holy  father  the  Pope,"  and 
thus  they  were  made  to  believe  that  none 
were  of  the  church  of  Christ  but  Roman 
Catholics. 

You  are  taught  that  baptism  is  a 
sacrament,  wherein  the  washing  with 
water  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 


I 


APPENDIX. 


63 


hism  for       ^ 

I  to  read       i 
3  in  their 
children 
ind  what 

Id. 

e  body  of 
jssing  the 
ce  to  God 
iestroying 
errors,  or 
dren  with 
he  visible 

ere  taught 
•egation  of 
profession 
n  snbmis- 
ope,"  and 
that  none 
)ut  Roman 

ism  is  a 
hing  with 
ler,  and  of 


\ 


the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  doth 
signify  and  seal  our  ingrafting  into  Christ, 
and  partaking  of  the  benefits  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  and  our  engagement  to  be 
the  Lord's ;  and,  that  grace  and  salvation 
are  not  so  inseparably  annexed  to  this 
ordinance  as  that  no  person  can  be  re- 
generated or  saved  without  it;  or  that 
all  that  are  baptized  are  undoubtedly 
regenerated. 

You  are  taught,  therefore,  by  baptism, 
that  you  must  have  an  inward,  spiritual, 
holy  change,  or  you  cannot  be  saved ;  and 
that  you  must  seek  this  change. 

But  Roman  Catholic  children  are  taught 

'  that  "  baptism  is  a  sacrament  v/hich  effaces 

original  sin,  and  makes  us  children  of  God, 

and  of  the  church,"  and  that  "without  it 

no  one  can  be  saved." 

Such  instruction  would  bewi!  _er  your 
minds,  prevent  you  from  seeking  true 
holiness,  and  make  you  secure  in  your 
sins,  however  immoral  you  might  be.  But 
your  parents  and  teachers,  who  protest 
against  the  errors  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  maintain  thr.t  it  is  not  enough  that 
0 


Vi 


^f 


54 


APPENDIX. 


you  be  baptized ;  but  also  that  your  heart 
must  be  renewed  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and 
your  thoughts,  affections  and  life  made 
holy. 

You  are  taught  that  the  Lords  supper 
is  a  sacrament,  wherein,  by  giving  and 
receiving  bread  and  wine,  according  to 
Christ's  appointment,  his  death  is  showed 
forth,  and  the  worthy  receivers  are,  not 
after  a  corporal  and  carnal  manner,  but  by 
faith,  made  partakers  of  his  body  and 
blood,  with  all  his  benefits,  to  their  spirit- 
ual nourishment  and  growth  in  grace,  and 
that  it  is  required  of  those  that  would 
worthily  partake  of  the  Lord's  supper,  that 
they  examine  themselves,  of  their  know- 
ledge to  discern  the  Lord's  body,  of  their 
faith  to  feed  upon  him,  of  their  repentance, 
love,  and  new  obedience;  lest,  coming 
unworthily,  they  eat  and  drink  judgment 
to  themselves. 

But  Roman  Catholic  children  are  taught 
thus : 

"  What  is  the  sacrament  of  the  Eucha- 
rist?" 

"  It  is  a  sacrament,  which  contains  really 


APPENDIX. 


55 


r  heart 

•it,  and 

made 

supper 
ng  and 
ling    to 
showed 
ire,  not 
,  but  by 
dy  and 
ir  spirit- 
ice,  and 
i  would 
3er,  that 
know- 
of  their 
entance, 
coming 
idgment 

e  taught 

Eucha- 


and  truly  the  body,  the  blood,  the  soul  and 
divinity  of  our  Savibr  Jesus  Christ,  con- 
tained under  the  form  or  appearance  of 
bread  and  wine." 

*'  What  then  does  one  receive  when  he 
communes?" 

''  He  receives  the  body,  the  blood,  the 
soul  and  divinity  of  our  Lord,  under  the 
form  or  appearance  of  bread  or  wine." 

''What  is  it  which  you  call  the  form  or 
appearance  of  bread  ?" 

''  It  is  t'lat  which  appears  to  our  senses 
as  whitr       • ,  bulk,  figure  and  taste." 

"  Unaer  these  forms  or  appearances  of 
bread,  is  not  the  substance  of  bread  also 
there?" 

"  No,  it  is  changed  into  the  body  of  our 
Lord  by  the  sacramental  words." 

"  Is  our  Lord,  then,  in  all  the  hosts  which 
the  priest  consecrates?" 

"  Yes,  he  is  whole  and  entire  in  every 
host."  ^ 

"When  the  priest  breaks  the  host,  does 
he  break  the  body  of  our  Lord  ?" 


IS  really 


*  Host,  fi'om  the  Latin,  hostia,  a  sacrifice. 


r-H 


^^^ 


f 


k 


56 


APPENDIX. 


"  No ;  for  they  are  only  the  forms  or  ap- 
r/earances  of  bread  which  are  broken." 

"Does  the  body  of  our  Lord  remain 
whole  and  entire  under  every  part  of  the 
forms,  when  they  are  broken?" 

"  Yes,  it  is  certain  that,  under  every  part 
of  the  forms,  he  remains  as  entire  as  in  the 
whole  host." 

"What  is  there  in  the  cup  which  we 
adore  in  the  holy  mass  7" 

"  It  is  the  precious  blood  of  our  Savior, 
and  the  same  that  was  shed  for  us  upon 
ihe  wood  of  the  cross." 

"Is  there  any  blood  in  the  cup  1 " 

"Pardon  me.  Jesus  Christ  is  there 
whole  and  entire,  as  well  as  under  the 
forms  and  appearances  of  bread." 

They  who  are  permitted  and  encouraged 
to  read  the  Bible,  and  to  cultivate  their 
minds  that  they  may  think  for  themselves 
on  religious  subjects,  may  bless  God,  that 
they  are  not,  like  many,  compelled  to 
believe  what  their  senses  altogether  con- 
tradict, and  what  appears  false  to  sound 
reason.  You  can  see  that  the  bread,  in 
the  Lord's  supper,  remains  bread,  that  it 


I 


i 


APPENDIX. 


57 


or  ap- 

smain 
of  the 

y  part 
in  the 

zh  wc 

savior, 
3  upon 


there 
3r  the 

iraged 
}  their 
iselves 
i,  that 
ed  to 
r  con- 
sound 
ad,  in 
that  it 


looks  Uke  bread,  feels  to  the  touch  like 
bread,  smells  and  tastes  like  bread;  and 
yet  the  children  of  Roman  Catholics  are 
made  to  believe  that  it  is  not  bread ;  and 
they  must  believe  further  that  it  is  the 
body  and  blood,  the  soul  and  divinity  of 
Jesus  Christ,  contrary  to  their  reason  and 
the  testimony  of  their  senses.  Thus  they 
are  prepared  to  believe  whatever  their 
church,  their  priests,  and  their  religious 
books  may  teach,  however  unreasonable 
and  opposite  to  all  their  perceptions.  They 
are  prepared,  also,  to  distrust  in  general 
their  own  senses,  and  their  own  reasons, 
and.  to  receive  any  absurdities,  which 
cunning  and  wicked  men  may  wish  to 
impose  upon  tl?em. 

You  are  taught  that  Christians  are 
persons  who  are  convinced  of  their  sin 
and  mie^^ry,  whose  minds  are  enlightened 
in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  whose  wills 
are  renewed,  and  who  are  persuaded  and 
enabled  to  embrace  Jesus  Christ,  freely 
oifered  to  them  in  the  gospel ;  but  Roman 
Catholic  children  are  taught  differently,  as 


f 


ii 


,  f 


i! 


ii 


68 


APPENDIX. 


may  be  seen  by  the  following  questions 
and  answers : 

"  What  is  the  mark  of  a  Christian?" 

"  It  is  the  sign  of  the  cross." 

"  How  do  you  make  it?" 

'*  I  make  it  by  putting  my  right  hand  to 
my  forehead,  then  to  my  breast,  next  to 
my  left  shoulder,  and  lastly  to  my  right 
shoulder." 

All  religion,  which  consists  in  outward 
forms,  rather  than  in  true  holiness,  spiritual 
worship,  and  sound  morality,  is  deceptive, 
corrupting,  Babylonish,  and  anti-christian, 
whatever  name  this  religion  may  have, 
whether  Roman  Catholic,  or  some  other 
name.  Many  churches,  which  do  not 
submit  to  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  and  many 
even  which  call  themselves  Protestant, 
have  the  spirit  of  the  Catholic  church,  and 
they  will  partake  of  the  curse  pronounced 
in  Revelation  on  the  beast,  which  makes 
war  with  the  Lamb,  and  with  the  saints. 

Our  youth  may  therefore  thank  God  for 
his  mercy,  that,  by  his  grace,  they  have 
learned  to  read  the  Bible  for  themselves, 
that  their  minds  have  been  educated ;  that 


APPENDIX. 


59 


uestions 
n7" 


hand  to 
next  to 
ay  right 

Dutward 

spiritual 

jceptive, 

tiristian, 

f  have, 

e  other 

do  not 

d  many 

)testant, 

eh,  and 

lounced 

makes 

saints. 

God  for 

y  have 

nselves, 

id;  that 


they  have  been  taugat  to  think  for  them- 
selves, to  beUeve  in  the  testimony  of  their 
own  senses,  and  to  rely  upon  the  con- 
clusions of  their  own  reason:  and  that 
they  have  had  secured  to  them  the  liberty 
of  choosing  their  own  religious  opinions 
and  worship,  while  they  do  not  disturb 
others'  liberty  and  rights.  By  being  so 
educated  as  to  worship  God  spiritually  and 
truly,  and  to  avoid  marking  ourselves  by 
the  practice  of  any  empty  forms  and 
superstitious  observances,  we  may  escape 
from  such  judgments,  as  an  angel  is 
represented  in  Revelation,  as  uttering  with 
a  loud  voice,  "If  any  man  worship  the 
beast  and  his  image,  and  receive  the  mark 
in  his  forehead,  or  in  his  hand,  the  same 
shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  which  is  poured  out  without  mixture 
into  the  cup  of  his  indignation :  and  he 
shall  be  tormented  with  fire  and  brimstone 
in  the  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in 
the  presence  of  the  Lamb ;  and  the  smoke 
of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and 
ever;  ai 


they 


day 


ig* 


who  worship  the    beast    and  his  image, 


« 


60 


APPENDIX. 


ti  ( 


I 
,  ] 

1  ■ 


t  I 


I: 


I  . 


1)^1 


and  whosoev3r  receiveth  the  mark  of  his 
name." 

The  principles  described  as  those  of  the 
CathoUc  church  in  Canada,  in  1700,  will 
show  why  the  French  of  that  country, 
though  amiable  in  disposition,  and  kind  in 
deed,  should  have  no  charity  for  the  re- 
ligion of  Mrs.  Swanton;  and  should  urge 
her,  even  beyond  reason,  to  adopt  their 
worship.  It  may  be  seen,  too,  what  cause 
she  had  for  anxiety  and  distres's,  lest  she 
should  be  induced  to  embrace  it.  It  may 
also  be  perceived  that  the  Christians  of 
Maine,  as  the  population  of  the  State  shall 
extend  to  the  borders  of  Canada,  will  be 
near  a  great  body  of  Catholics,  and  will 
have  occasion  to  guard  against  an  imposing 
religion,  especially  by  teaching  the  young 
divine  truth  in  a  sound  catechism,  but 
above  all,  by  the  Bible  itself;  and  that 
they  will  be  sacredly  called,  by  their  love 
to  Christ,  and  to  their  fellow-men,  to  pray 
for,  and  to  enlighten  a  pei  who,  though 
uneducated  and  superstitioa^,  are  indus- 
trious, quiet  and  hospitable. 


k  of  his 


e  of  the 
700,  will 
country, 
1  kind  in 
r  the  re- 
uld  urge 
opt  their 
lat  cause 
,  lest  she 
It  may 
stians  of 
tate  shall 
,  will  be 
and  will 
imposing 
le  young 
ism,  but 
and  that 
heir  love 
,  to  pray 
3,  though 
re  indus- 


